The financial troubles we are facing is making millions of Americans abandon their pets to the Humane Society
Pet owners are letting go of their pets at a disturbing rate.
This is just another sign of how this recession is affecting the American household. A home is more than just parents and 1.2 children, but also includes the family pet.
Breed rescues are seeing this on a daily basis, pet owners coming in, having to make a decision that they feel is isn’t in their control. Many times they feel the weight and anxiety of credit card debt looming over their heads. This is an adverse derivative of our existing times.
Examples of households making the decision of getting out of debt, or taking care of a precious member of the family have been popping up all over our cities. From households turning in their dogs and cats in order to pay for medical bills, to households killing their dogs and cats so they can afford to keep current on credit card bills and pay household bills. The economic collapse is making it all the more difficult for some households to justify putting down as much as a thousand dollars yearly or more on the upkeep and food for their cats.
The population growth at animal shelters around the nation shows how the feeble economy is also reducing the pool of possible adopters.
The recoil effect has been population explosion of shelters causing a faster rate of pets being put to sleep, and many shelters turning away households looking to leave behind cats. Of the estimated 6 million to 8 million dogs and cats sent to animal shelters every year, over half are euthanized what is left is adopted.
Having no choice but to leave behind a pet can wreak deep emotional scars on a household, even more on the children who can not comprehend the economic realities. We cannot expect them to grasp the problematical decision their parents have to make, abandoning their pet to make sure after they pay their bills and credit card debt they can be fed and clothed.
The only other option for many people other than abandoning their pet is to dig themselves out of debt. Debt settlement can help families lower their monthly house hold expenses eliminating their need to make the problematical decision to allow their pet to be euthanized. The more people understand that there are options; the less stress will be put on the local shelters trying to deal with this issue on a daily basis.
Another option is to find a person or family member able to temporarily adopt your pet. This would allow you to rest easy knowing they are well taken care of and loved. This would allow you to take time and create a debt reduction plan putting them in a position to once again make their a part of the household again.
